Posted on 07/27/2005 7:44:58 AM PDT by GreenLanternCorps
It cannot be said too often that terrorist atrocities are solely the responsibility of those who perpetrate them. To blame the invasion of Iraq, or the occupation of the West Bank, or poverty, or racism, or Western decadence, is both intellectually and morally wrong.
What is reasonable, however, is to ask why modern Britain is breeding so many anti-British fanatics. Muktar Said Ibrahim has lived here since he was 12, and in 2003 he applied for citizenship. Last week he attempted to blow up the No. 26 bus. Why?
Part of the answer has to do with how Britain sees itself. The ancestors of the Leeds bombers, who arrived here in the mid-20th century from countries which had prospered under colonial rule, were infected by the self-belief of the British Empire. They were content, as it were, to buy into a nation whose subjects were so obviously proud of it.
Many countries try to codify their values in law. Some oblige their citizens to speak the national language; others make it a criminal offence to show disrespect to the flag. But statutory patriotism is an intrinsically un-British notion. We prefer simply to set out, in general terms, the non-negotiable components of our identity - the qualities of the citizenship that Muktar Said Ibrahim applied for.
I. The rule of law. Our society is based on the idea that we all abide by the same rules, whatever our wealth or status. No one is above the law - not even the government.
II. The sovereignty of the Crown in Parliament. The Lords, the Commons and the monarch constitute the supreme authority in the land. There is no appeal to any higher jurisdiction, spiritual or temporal.
III. The pluralist state. Equality before the law implies that no one should be treated differently on the basis of belonging to a particular group. Conversely, all parties, sects, faiths and ideologies must tolerate the existence of their rivals.
IV. Personal freedom. There should be a presumption, always and everywhere, against state coercion. We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
V. Private property. Freedom must include the freedom to buy and sell without fear of confiscation, to transfer ownership, to sign contracts and have them enforced. Britain was quicker than most countries to recognise this and became, in consequence, one of the happiest and most prosperous nations on Earth.
VI. Institutions. British freedom and British character are immanent in British institutions. These are not, mostly, statutory bodies, but spring from the way free individuals regulate each other's conduct, and provide for their needs, without recourse to coercion.
VII. The family. Civic society depends on values being passed from generation to generation. Stable families are the essential ingredient of a stable society.
VIII. History. British children inherit a political culture, a set of specific legal rights and obligations, and a stupendous series of national achievements. They should be taught about these things.
IX. The English-speaking world. The atrocities of September 11, 2001, were not simply an attack on a foreign nation; they were an attack on the anglosphere - on all of us who believe in freedom, justice and the rule of law.
X. The British character. Shaped by and in turn shaping our national institutions is our character as a people: stubborn, stoical, indignant at injustice. "The Saxon," wrote Kipling, "never means anything seriously till he talks about justice and right."
Not for the first time, we have been slow - perhaps too slow - to wake up to the threat we face. Now is the time to "talk about justice and right", and to act on our words.
Every Democrat reading this article is asking the same question,"What's a core value?".
bump
Lemme guess--#IV is the only one taught in schools...?
BTTT
codify their values in law. Some oblige their citizens to speak the national language; others make it a criminal offence to show disrespect to the flag.
It's not wrong, when bestowing the benefits of citizenship, to expect some effort in return.
During the Dole debacle when he ran against Clinton, I recall watching Meet the Press when the then Gov from Colorado (very left liberal) (Pres. of the DNC) noted that "liberals are great neighbors but lously ancestors because they will help out but will leave future generations - nothing.
His quote struck a nerve in me which is why our schools are disasters becuase liberals teach there and, they teach how bad we are, not our achievements.
Not long ago the NAACP noted that our schools taught subjects that were "to white" - our history gave nothing to minorities.
The column is good however, it is never taught due to the PC crowds. British subjects grew up to blow up Britian because britian failed in its liberal/social compact to teach what is right, not what is PC.
BTTT
I notice those points
do not say much about God.
British folks once wrote:
"KNOW THAT BEFORE GOD, for the health of our soul
and those of our ancestors and heirs, to the honour of God,
the exaltation of the holy Church,
and the better ordering of our kingdom,
at the advice of our reverend fathers . . ."
There are no core values, only alternative lifestyles.
Ping!
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what is this rag doing on Freerepublic, after our forefathers fought and bled to fly the stars and stripes...
btw, didn't at one time one of the core values of British Identity happen to be white supremacy??
This means no appeal to the ICC, UN, and the EU for starters. So AMEN TO THAT.
And now that we have our freedom, and have flown the stars and stripes for over 200 years, we can acknowledge that those forefathers of whom you write were all born Englishmen, that the ideas, writings, and institutions that gave them the very concept of national freedom were English, and that our nation was founded upon English precepts. It is foolish indeed to call the flag of the United Kingdom "this rag."
And now that we have our freedom, and have flown the stars and stripes for over 200 years, we can acknowledge that those forefathers of whom you write were all born Englishmen, that the ideas, writings, and institutions that gave them the very concept of national freedom were English, and that our nation was founded upon English precepts. It is foolish indeed to call the flag of the United Kingdom "this rag."
On the flag/s,I vaguely remember the words to a popular song, possibly WW2 vintage.
"Three cheers for the red, white and blue".
Take yer' pick. Like both of them meself. Coalition boasts both flags in Iraq May God protect both of those forces who fly them. LOL.
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